Plug-in relay construction



P 28, 1965 K. REINER ETAL 3,209,096

PLUG-IN RELAY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR3.

P 28, 1965 K. REINER ETAL 3,209,096

PLUG-IN RELAY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 iii 161.5. 66

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INVENTORa BY fly/W P 28, 1965 K. REINER ETAL 3,209,096

PLUG-IN RELAY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 24, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet s W11. #7! 11:; rob/5444A;

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United States Patent 3,209,096 PLUG-IN RELAY CONSTRUCTION Kenneth Reiner, 4811 Telegraph Road, Los Angeies,

Calif., and Roger W. Forhurger and William H. Stoneman, Los Angeles, Calif.; said Forhurger and said Stonemau assignors to said Reiner Filed May 24, 1962, Ser. No. 197,503 11 Claims. (Cl. 200-87) The present invention relates to relay constructions and particularly to relays wherein a single switch operating element is arranged to be magnetically actuated to operate electrical switch means. More specifically, the present invention relates to relay constructions wherein relatively low voltages are utilized to actuate a solenoid for the operation of switch means in circuits operating at relatively higher voltages.

Relays of the general type under discussion are widely used in a large number of applications and are available in a great variety of constructions. Each of the types available prior to the present invention is subject to certain disadvantages in the method of connection and disconnection for initial installation or for replacement. One common type of relay typically has lead wires extending out from the casing and is installed by soldering or otherwise individually connecting the lead wires into a circuit. This is disadvantageous in that installation is time consuming and costly and in that expert personnel is generally necessary to eifect .a change of relays in case of a breakdown.

Another common type is the so-called plug-in type wherein the circuit in which the relay is to be used is provided with a receptacle or terminal having a pluraity of sockets or pins, and the circuit wires are connected to said sockets or pins internally of the receptacle or terminal. The relays used in such cases have complementary pins or sockets adapted to be interconnected with the sockets or pins in the receptacle or terminal, the arrangement being the same as that commonly used in the association and support of electronic tubes. Such arrangements are disadvantageous in that the sole mechanical connection and support is by the actual electrical paths. It is therefore necessary that the pin elements be large enough, long enough, and of such relatively rigid conductive material as to supply adequate structural gripping and support. Such constructions are more expensive than the actual electrical requirement would necessitate since the conductive material used is relatively costly.

A second and very important disadvantage of plug-in type relays is that the electrical connections which must be made behind the terminal or socket are relatively close together. This close proximity of electrical connections causes some difficulty is assembly and creates electrical difficulties in that lines and connections carrying different voltages may not readily be properly segregated from one another. Relays of this type generally involve the control of a circuit of relatively high voltage by a solenoid operated at much lower voltage and may also involve the control of other low voltage circuitry. Proper safety provisions which form a part of most electrical codes re quire that the connections for so-called low voltages (30 volts or less) be separated by a structural wall from connections for higher voltages, such as 110 volts. Accordingly, the space limitations of socket and pin connections for relays and the fact that all of the connections are made on one side of the terminal or socket make it extremely diflicult to provide a structure wherein high and low voltage connections may be segregated from one another. It is for this reason that plug-in type relays have not come into popular use in residential and other lighting constructions where code requirements are strict.

A further disadvantage of prior art relays is that failure thereof results in lack of control over the condition of the circuit or device controlled thereby. Thus, if such a relay were used to control a lighting circuit and should fail in either the on or off condition of the lighting circuit, the circuit would remain in that condition until disconnected or until the relay could be repaired or replaced.

The disadvantages discussed hereinabove have resulted in limiting the acceptance of the use of relays for remote controlled electrical switching in certain fields. This is true particularly in residential usages and in other lighting usages in view of the difliculties of operation and maintenance discussed hereinabove. Moreover, such relays have generally been placed in areas not readily accessible to be inspected or replaced by unskilled personnel, even if they desired to make a replacement.

The present invention overcomes all of the disadvantages discussed hereinabove by providing constructions wherein a relay may be installed by plugging it into a base or receptacle, in which the relay is gripped mechanically by means other than the electrical contacts made by the act of plugging the relay into position, and in which the switch of the device controlled by the relay (within the relay) may be manually actuated from externally of the relay housing if the relay should become inoperative for any reason. These advantages are achieved, in the present invention, by an arrangement of the various parts in a compact association which permits relays to be closely associated with one another, as in a gang box, preferably in an easily accessible location. The arrangement includes mechanical connecting means other than the conducting lines and permits easy segregation of the low voltage connections from the high voltage connections by placement of such connections on different walls of the relay, whereby conformance with existing electrical codes is simplified. Manual control of relays according to the present invention is made possible by the fact that the switching linkage includes a switch operating post which is directly connected to the switch of the controlled device and which extends outwardly of the relay housing and each relay may thus be used as a switch, if desired, so that a group of such relays in a gang box may serve as a remote control panel for the circuits controlled thereby.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide improved relay constructions having improved means for connection and disconnection in electrical circuits.

1 A further object of the present invention is to provide improved relay constructions of the plug-in type.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved relay constructions which may be attached in a circuit by a simple plug-in procedure and which are thus readily removable for repair or replacement, wherein the means for attachment includes mechanical means apart from the electrical conducting paths.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide improved relay constructions wherein the switch means of the circuit controlled by the relay has an actuator therefor extending through the relay casing whereby the circuit may be manually operated if desired, without operation of the solenoid of the relay.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved plug-in relay construction wherein the external high and low voltage connections are on different walls of the relay whereby segregation of such con- 3 face for movement between said contacts to perform a switching function.

Other objects and the advantages attendant thereto will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference numerals have been applied to like parts throughout and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a plug-in relay assembly according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the socket portion of the relay assembly shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation of the removable relay cartridge, which forms a portion of the relay shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1, this view being in the scale of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken through the assembly of FIGURE 1 along the line 55 of that figure.

FIGURE 6 is a framentary sectional view of a detail of the mechanical connection between the socket and removable cartridge, being taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view of the operation of the terminal block of the relay as taken substantially along the line 77 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the terminal block and switching arrangement with parts broken away for clarity of the illustration.

FIGURE 9 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the plug-in relay assembly of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view, taken from the rear, of the relay cartridge of the FIGURE 1 assembly with the cover thereof removed.

Attention is directed to the drawings, wherein an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The arrangement comprises a socket, generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and a plug-in relay cartridge, generally designated by the reference character R.

The socket 10 comprises a body of insulating plastic material which may be of any desired planform. In the illustrated example it is shown as rectangular and this shape is advantageous in that installations may readily be placed in side-by-side relation in a minimum of space. The body of socket 10 comprises a back wall 12 and forwardly extending walls. The forwardly extending walls comprise the side walls 14, and end wall 16, and an extended end wall 18. The side walls 14 and end wall 16 extend to a common plane to serve as a stop shoulder to limit the degree of insertion of a relay cartridge into the socket 10, the said side walls being provided with opposed indentations 20 for cooperation with lugs on the relay cartridge to effect a mechanical connection therewith, as will be later described.

The end wall 18 extends beyond the edges of the walls 14 and 16 to provide a forwardly extending lip 22. The forwardly extending lip is provided with a plurality of notches, into which the U-shaped terminals 24 of electrical connectors 26 are secured. The electrical connectors 26 preferably have lead wires 28 affixed thereto as shown. It is to be noted that the U-terminals offer receptacles for effecting substantially knife-edge type connections having relatively little gripping or supporting capability.

In the exemplary structure described herein, the previously described terminal portion is the low voltage connection means of socket 10. High voltage connection means are also included and are fastened to the back wall 12 of the socket. The high voltage arrangement comprises a boss 30 extending rearwardly of the back wall 12 and having insulated conductors 32 extending through a pair of bores in the boss to the front surface of the wall 12. The conductors 32 are spaced from one another and each has a knife-edge terminal 34 attached thereto (by any conventional means, not shown). Knife-edge terminals 34 are of relatively rigid conductive material of a size to fit spaced slots provided in desired positions in the forward surface of wall 12 with the knife-edge ends thereof extending forwardly, as shown. A retaining plate 36 of insulating material is attached, as by a rivet 37 extended through boss 30 in position to retain the terminals 34 in position.

Any suitable attachment means may be provided. For example, rear wall 12 of the socket may be provided with an opening, as at 38, to accommodate fastening means, for effecting attachment of the socket to a support, it being understood that boss 30 and wires 32 extend through an opening in the support to the rear thereof.

The relay cartridge R of the present invention is of a construction to be plugged into electrical and mechanical association with the socket previously described and for this purpose it is provided with low voltage terminals adapted to be received in the U-terminals 24 of the socket 10, as well as high voltage terminals adapted to receive the knife-edge terminals 34 of socket 10. The relay cartridge comprises a base portion generally designated by the reference numeral 40, and a relay cover 42.

Base portion 40 of the relay cartridge R comprises a center frame portion having thickened side Walls 46 and a transverse web 48, as shown. The frame has a solid extension 50 which extends beyond the length of the side walls, past the web 48 and the extension 50 has at its end a flange 49 extending in the same direction as the web 48. The bottom surfaces of side walls 46 and of web 48 are substantially co-planar with one another to engage the back wall of socket 10 when the relay cartridge is inserted into the socket and it should be noted that when so assembled the web 48 and the extension 50 serve to completely enclose a chamber 51 in which high voltage switching occurs, as will be later described.

Each of the side walls 46 has a passage therethrough terminating at one end in the chamber 51 and at the other end an outlet in 52. The outlets 52 are spaced to coincide with the position of the terminals 34 in socket 10 in the plugged-in relationship of the base 40 and the socket. A flat conductor wire 54 is positioned in the passage in each of the side walls 46 and each of said wires has a flat end extending into chamber 51 and has a contact enlargement 56 attached thereto, as shown. The opposite end of each of the wires 54 is bent rearwardly, extending into and through outlets 52 and is split as at 57 to provide a notch to receive the mating knife-edge terminal 34 of socket 10 in the plugged-in relationship of the parts.

A terminal block 58 is attached to the upper end of base 10 (as oriented in the drawings) the terminal block being of insulating material and having an outer face which is generally parallel with end flange 49 of the base portion, but which is stepped as at 60 to extend slightly beyond the said flange whereby conductors 62 mounted on the outer face will extend outwardly of the flange 49, as shown. Conductors 62 are of generally flat wire form and have the ends thereof aligned and bent into blade edges 64, as shown, for engagement with the terminals 24 of socket 10 in the plugged-in relationship of the parts. The opposite ends of conductors 62 are turned into and through openings in the face 69 and the protrusions thereof are formed as at 66, into contacts adapted to be switched by switching means to be described hereinafter.

Terminal block 58 has web-like side walls 59, as shown, and these side walls are provided with means for support ing switch blades 68. Such means may be of any desired form capable of supporting a switch blade adjacent the rear face of the terminal block, but the illustrated example comprises integral rounded mounting lugs 70 and slots on either side of each said lug, extending through the side walls 59. Flat wire may be bent back upon itself to provide a bight, as at 71, adapted to engage a lug 70 when the ends are inserted through the slots. If only one switch blade is required, only one such wire is used and one arm may be cut short enough as to fail to engage any contact 66. By providing a lug 70 with associated slots in each side wall 59 an arrangement including as many as four switch blades may be provided to give four simultaneous switching operations, as desired. The rear surface of the terminal block may be provided with integral dielectric posts 67 to serve as switch blade stops, as desired.

Particular switching operations may be designed into the structure herein described to fit any desired circuit or groups of circuits by varying the lengths of conductors 62 so that the contacts 66 extend through the back face of the terminal block at different levels, as most clearly shown in FIGURES 7 to 10, and by positioning the switch blades 68 so that they may move along the rear face of the terminal block to make and break connections as desired. It is considered that the present invention is not concerned with the specific circuitry involved but rather with the mechanical relationship which makes switching in general possible under the improved circumstances afforded by the constructions of the present invention. Accordingly, the details of circuits to be controlled are not described herein, except insofar as necessary to operate the solenoid of the relay and this portion of the circuitry will be described hereinafter. Many varieties for controlling relay operations and for controlling other external circuits are possible and the creation and operation thereof are well within the province of any person skilled in the electrical arts.

Attention is now directed to the switching post or plunger element 74 which is utilized to move the switch blades 68 previously described and also to perform a high voltage switching function as will be later described. The plunger 74 is of insulating material and is non-circular in cross-section. Preferably, the plunger 74 is rectangular or square in cross-section in at least parts of its length in order to be guided in a similar shaped opening without rotation therein. Plunger 74 is supported for reciprocating motion in an opening 76 in the extension 50 of frame 44. While such a plunger may be straight along its length it is preferably of slightly stepped construction, as best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, to provide a stop shoulder 78 to limit downward movement of the plunger. The lower portion of plunger 74 is provided with a circular extension 79 which has an enlargement, as at 80, at its end to limit upward movement of the plunger. While the method of assembly is not essential to this disclosure, it is deemed best to describe the method of inserting the plunger 74 in the illustrated example, in which the enlargement 80 and the opening 76 are each of rectangular cross-section, and the enlargement 80 is of a size to fit within the opening. Enlargement 80 is angularly related to the rectangular portions of the plunger length whereby it may be inserted in the opening 76 and turned a partial turn to provide a stop against upward removal. The plunger has a switch operating and supporting end 82 which has an opening therein to receive the snap arms 84 of a snap-switch element, as shown. The snap-switch element is of well-known design, comprising a unitary conductive piece having restrained end portions with contacts 86 thereon. The contacts 86 are restrained for limited motion within chamber 51, between contacts 56 on conductors 54 and stop shoulders 88. Snap arms 84 are of such length that a toggle action is caused as the plunger is moved up and down past the plane of the contacts to cause them to reverse their positions. Such snap-switches and their mode of operation are well-known. When the snap-switch is installed it serves to limit upward movement of the plunger 74.

The plunger 74 is further guided by the fact that it passes through an opening 90 in cover 42, said opening being of a rectangular shape to accommodate the plunger for reciprocation and to prevent rotation thereof. It is an important feature of this invention that the outer end of the plunger 74 extends through the cover since this permits manual operation of the switches. To assist in such 6 usage the outer end of the plunger is formed to provide a finger piece, as shown in the drawings.

The surface of the plunger which faces terminal block 58 in the assembled relationship of the parts is spaced from the terminal block and has two or more projections 92 thereon extending close to the inner surface of the block. Projections 92 engage switch blades 68 (as best shown in FIGURES 5, 8 and 9) whereby movement of the plunger will cause the switch blades 68 to move, therewith to make and break circuits by cooperation with the contacts 66. At the same time the high voltage switch within chamber 51 is operated.

Plunger 74 is operated by a solenoid operated armature attached to a mechanical linkage adapted to impart reciprocating motion to the plunger. The details of the solenoid and the linkage are not essential to the present invention since many arrangements for performing this function are well-known. In the illustrated example, solenoid 72 is supported on a base member 94 which is secured in the base 40 by means not shown, and is electrically connected to appropriate conductors 62 by conductive wires 95 and 96.

An armature 98 is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis adjacent one end of the coil of the solenoid for movement into contact with the core 99 when current is applied to the coil. Armature 98 has an angular extension 100 to the outer end of which there is pivotally mounted an actuating yoke 102. A return spring 104 is mounted in the base 40 in such a manner as to cause return of the armature from the actuated position shown in FIGURE 5 to the unactuated position shown in dotted lines in that figure.

A supporting post 106 extends from the base 40, in a position adjacent the solenoid. Post 106 has a pivot pin 108 upon which a cam element 110 is mounted for pivotal movement, as by the bearing 112. The positioning of the parts is such that the actuating yoke 102 of the solenoid actuated linkage engages the cam surfaces to cause the cam element to be moved thereby, the movement at each operation being such that the outer point thereof is moved slightly past the position of rest to which the yoke is returned (after actuation) by the return spring 104. As a result alternate actuations of the solenoid 72 cause the yoke 102 to alternately engage the cam element first on one side and then on the other side of the projecting center point of the cam surfaces. In each of these engagements the yoke slides along the cam surface until it strikes an end stop 114 at which point the cam element is pivoted about its mounting to that side of its center. The degree of this movement is limited, in each direction by enlargements 107 on the post 106, which engage the yoke 102 to limit movement of the yoke and of the cam element.

The cam element is provided with a resilent bearing 116 extending from its end adjacent the plunger 74 and the said bearing is engaged about a pivot pin 118 which is integral with the plunger. It should be obvious, therefore, that operation of the solenoid 72 will cause oscillation of cam element 110 alternately to the right and left (as in FIGURE 5) and that such movements will cause plunger 74 to be raised and lowered respectively. Since the actuating yoke is not attached to the cam element the return of the yoke to the rest position (shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5) does not move the cam or plunger elements. Plunger 74 is retained in up or down position by the snap-switch 84, 86 since the latter is always resiliently retained between its point of support on the plunger and either the contacts 56 or the stop shoulders 88.

The terminal block 58 shown in the drawings has seven low voltage conductors therein and three switch blades 68 operated in multiple switching operations by movement of the plunger 74 in such manner as to shift the blades from the full line to the dotted line positions of FIGURE 7. Relative to operation of the solenoid, the wire 95 is fixedly wired to the center conductor 62 which is in turn connected, through its ends 64 and the associated terminal 24 and wire 28, to a source of potential whereby current may flow through conductor 95, the coil of the solenoid and through conductor 96 back to the terminal block where it engages the contact 6612 shown in dotted lines in this figure and which is permanently in contact with the switch assembly of two blades 68 formed about the post 70 at the lower portion of FIGURE 7. Therefore, current passing through the coil may flow either through the contact 66a or 660 in the full and dotted line positions of the blades 68, respectively. Thus, if the conductors attached to 66a and 660 are attached to on and off switches respectively the relay, as shown, is operable by the operation of the switch connected to the circuit which is then closed. Thus, the full line condition of FIGURE 7 is the off position of the high voltage snap-switch and for the relay operating circuit described the contact 66a is connected to a switch designated on and the contact 660 to an off switch. With such an arrangement the relay is preconditioned not to respond to a signal if it is already in the condition the signal is supposed to produce. In the full line position of FIGURE 7 if current is introduced to contact 660 the solenoid will be activated to attract the armature and cause plunger 74 to be shifted to the left (in FIGURE 7) to move the blades 68 to the dotted line condition to break the circuit. The solenoid cannot again respond to a signal through contact 660 until it has first been operated through contact 66a. Alternatively, if both contacts 66a and 66c are attached in parallel to a single momentary contact switch each operation of the switch will reverse the position of plunger 74 and the condition of the switches controlled thereby.

The relay construction described in the preceding paragraphs is enclosed by relay cover 42. The cover is of a shape and size to enclose the base 40 and all of the solenoid and switch components attached thereto. The top wall of cover 42 (as oriented in FIGURE 1) is shorter than the other walls whereby the contact blades 64 of terminal 58 extend outwardly thereof, as shown. The cover 42 has an opening to accommodate plunger 74, whereby the end of the plunger extends outwardly of the casing in the assembled relationship of the parts, as and for tie purposes previously discussed.

A mechanical connection is effected between base member 40 and the cover 42 by providind overhangs 122 at the side edges of the base member which are to be engaged by the cover and complementary grooves 124 in the interior of the cover whereby the grooves 124 may be snapped over the overhangs 122 to effect a connection. The overhangs and grooves may be discontinuous, as shown, to provide complementary positioning pins centrally thereof. If desired, the mechanical connection between projections 122 and 124 may be augmented by cementing the parts together at the connections.

The base member 40, with switch and relay means assembled thereon, and a cover 42 attached thereto, all as previously described, comprises a removable relay cartridge R adapted to be plugged into and removed from the socket 10. It should be noted that such connection is effected by engaging the blades 64 of the cartridge R with the low voltage terminals 24 of socket 10 and by pushing the cartridge into the socket whereupon the knifeedge terminals 34 of the socket 10 are received in the notches 57 of the high voltage wires 54 of the socket. It should be noted that all of the electrical connections are of knife-edge type, requiring a minimum of conductor material and providing slight frictional resistance to separation. To effect a mechanical connection the base 40 is provided with lugs or protuberances 120 adapted to engage with a snap action in the indentations 20 in socket 10 to mechanically hold the parts together.

When the relay cartridge R is plugged into the socket 10 the assembly appears as in FIGURE 1. It should be noted that the resulting relay assembly is such that the low voltage wires 28 extend from a side wall of the assembly (forward of the support not shown) to which socket 10 is attached in normal use whereas the high voltage wires extend into an area which would be behind the support in a normal installation whereby separation as required by electrical codes is readily effected.

From the above it may be seen that the present invention provides convenient, economical relay constructions which are of the plug-in type, wherein the structural stability of the plug-in connection is improved by adding mechanical holding means to the usual electrical connections; wherein the low voltage and high voltage wires extend from different walls of the relay to simplify adherence to electrical codes; wherein manual actuation of the high voltage switch operated by the relay is made possible through the relay construction if the relay should fail; and wherein an operating circuit may be provided which is such that the solenoid may be preconditioned not to respond to a signal if the device controlled by the relay is already in the condition the signal is intended to produce.

Obviously, many variations and modifications of specific constructional details, configurations and relative dimensions are possible within the spirit of the present invention as described hereinabove. It is to be understood that the specific example shown and described herein is intended to be by way of illustration only and that the invention is not to be limited thereby but rather by the scope and language of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A relay construction comprising a socket member and a detachable relay cartridge adapted to be plugged into said socket member; said socket member being of insulating material and comprising a back wall and Walls extending forwardly therefrom to form a receptacle, a first group of terminals fixedly mounted on the forward face of said back wall, a second group of terminals mounted on a portion of said forwardly extending wall in the edge thereof remote from said back Wall; said relay cartridge comprising a base member of insulating material and of a size and shape to fit closely within said socket member, a plurality of separately mounted switch means supported on said base member, a solenoid mounted on said base member, a mechanical linkage supported on said base member, and including means actuated by said solenoid and engaging said switch means for operating said switch means, conductors connected to one of said separately mounted switch means and extending therefrom to the bottom surface of said base member and having terminals extending therefrom, conductors attached to the other of said separately mounted switch means and extending to terminals in a portion of the side surface of said base member, the terminals extending from the bottom surface of said base member being positioned to engage said first group of terminals and the terminals in a portion of the side surface of said base member being positioned to engage said second group of terminals, whereby association of the relay cartridge within the socket member causes electrical connections to be made between the terminals on said socket member and the terminals on said base member.

2. A relay construction according to claim 1, wherein said socket member and said base member are of rectangular cross-section, said second group of terminals in said socket member and the mating group of terminals in said base member being in mating end walls thereof.

3. A relay construction according to claim 1, wherein the terminal connections are all of blade and socket type and wherein the socket member and the base member have interengaging lugs and indentations to effect a solid frictional connection therebetween.

4. A relay construction comprising a socket member and a detachable relay cartridge adapted to be plugged into said socket member; said socket member being of insulating material and comprising a back wall and walls extending forwardly thereof to form a receptacle, a first group of terminals fixedly mounted on the forward face of said back wall, a plurality of conductors connected to said terminals and extending through the rear surface of said back wall, said back wall being adapted to be attached to a supporting panel with said conductors extending through said panel, a second group of terminals mounted on a portion of said forwardly extending wall in the edge thereof remote from said back wall, each of said second group of terminals having a conductor attached thereto and extending outwardly of said socket member; said relay cartridge comprising a base member of size and shape to fit closely within said socket member, a plurality of separately mounted switch means supported on said base member, a solenoid mounted on said base member, a mechanical linkage supported on said base member, and including means actuated by said solenoid and engaging said switch means for operating said switch means, conductors connected to one of said separately mounted switch means and extending therefrom to the bottom surface of said base member and having terminals extending therefrom, conductors attached to the other of said separately mounted switch means and extending to terminals in a portion of the side surface of said base member, the terminals extending from the bottom surface of said base member being positioned to engage said first group of terminals and the terminals in a portion of the side surface of said base member being positioned to engage said second group of terminals, whereby association of the relay cartridge within the socket member causes electrical connections to be made between the terminals on said socket member and the terminals on said base member.

5. A relay construction comprising a base member of insulating material and having a bottom and side surfaces, a plurality of separately mounted switch means supported on said base member, a solenoid mounted on said base member, a linkage including means actuated by said solenoid and engaging said switch means for operating said switch means, conductors connected to one of said separately mounted switch means and extending therefrom to the bottom surface of said base member and having terminals extending therefrom, and conductors attached to the other of said separately mounted switch means and extending to terminals in the side surface of said bottom member, a cover member attached to said base member, said cover member having an opening therein, said linkage including a switch operating plunger, said plunger extending through said cover whereby the switch means may be manually actuated by manipulation of the plunger as well as by electrical actuation of the solenoid.

'6. A relay construction comprising a base member of insulating material, said base member being of rectangular cross-section and having end and side surfaces, a terminal block mounted on said base member above one of said end surfaces, a plurality of conductors mounted on the outwardly facing surface of said terminal block, said conductors being formed at one end into terminal connector blades on the said outwardly facing surface, the other ends of said conductors extending through the terminal block to the inner surface thereof to form electrical contacts, said terminal block having switch blades supported thereon for movement across the inner surface of the terminal block to effect switching of said contacts, a switch operating plunger mounted in said base member adjacent the inner surface of the terminal block for reciprocating motion across said inner surface, said plunger having lugs thereon extending toward said inner surface and engaging said switch blades whereby reciprocation of said plunger causes movement of said switch blades to effect and to break electrical circuits including said contacts, and actuating means mounted on said base member and operatively associated with said plunger for effecting reciprocation thereof.

7. A relay construction according to claim 6, having an enclosing cover member attached to said base member, said cover member having an opening therein, said operating plunger having an end portion extending outwardly through said opening, whereby said plunger may be operated manually from externally of said cover member by engagement of said end portion.

8. A relay construction comprising a base member, said base member being of insulating material and comprising a generally rectangular frame having a top surface and downwardly extending side and end walls, said frame having an extension from one end thereof in the plane of the top surface thereof, a downwardly extending first web at the outer edge of said extension and a second downwardly extending second web parallel to said first web, said webs forming an isolated chamber, electrical conductors extending into said chamber and being fixedly supported therein, said chamber having stop surfaces spaced from said conductors, a switch Operating plunger mounted on said base member for reciprocating motion perpendicular to said extension, said plunger having an end portion extending into said chamber, a snap switch attached to the end portion of said plunger and operative to make and break contact with said conductors in response to reciprocation of the plunger, and means mounted on said base member and operatively associated with said plunger for effecting reciprocation thereof.

9. A relay construction comprising a base member, said 'base member being of insulating material and comprising a generally rectangular frame having a top surface and downwardly extending side and end walls, said frame having an extension from one end thereof in the plane of the top surface thereof, a downwardly extending first web at the outer edge of said extension and a second downwardly extending second web parallel to said first web, said webs forming an isolated chamber, electrical conductors extending into said chamber and being fixedly supported therein, said chamber having stop surfaces spaced from said conductors, a terminal block mounted on said base member above said first web, and above the top surface of said extension, a plurality of conductors mounted on the outwardly facing surface of said terminal block, said last mentioned conductors being formed at one end into terminal connector blades on the said outwardly facing surface, the other ends thereof extending through the terminal block to the inner surface thereof to form electrical contacts, said terminal block having switch blades supported thereon for movement across the inner surface of the terminal block to effect switching of said contacts, a switch operating plunger mounted in said base member adjacent the inner surface of the terminal block for reciprocating motion across said inner surface, said plunger having lugs thereon extending toward said inner surface and engaging said switch blades whereby reciprocation of said plunger causes movement of said switch blades to effect and to break electrical circuits including said contacts, an end portion of said plunger extending into said chamber, a snap switch attached to the end portion of said plunger and operative to make and break contact with the conductors in said isolated chamber in response to reciprocation of the plunger, and means mounted on said base member and operatively associated with said plunger for effecting reciprocation thereof.

10. A relay construction according to claim 6, wherein said actuating means comprises a solenoid and a mechanical linkage including an armature operatively associated with said plunger to reciprocate it from one position to another on each energization of the solenoid, the energizing current for said solenoid flowing through one of said conductors, through the coil of the solenoid, through a switch blade and through either one of two contacts associated in the alternative with said switch blade, whereby a separate momentary contact switch may be electrically connected into the circuit including each of said two contacts, and whereby each such momentary contact switch may be effective to actuate the solenoid only when the circuit condition is such that the switch blade is touching the contact which is electrically connected to that switch.

11. In relay assemblies of the type wherein a solenoid is energized to operate a mechanical linkage to operate a switch back and forth to open and closed positions and wherein the solenoid, the linkage and the switch are enclosed bya cover member, the improvement comprising a switch operating plunger forming a part of said linkage, said plunger being directly connected to said switch for movement therewith, an opening in said cover member, an end of said plunger extending through said opening, whereby the switch can be controlled by manipulation of said plunger from externally of said cover member, and the plunger is movable by the switch when the switch is operated by energization of the solenoid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,700,240 1/29 Sheril 20087 Coldwell 339- 176 McNeil 20087 Favre 31799 Lake et al 20087 Perillo 20087 Hairy 20087 Hollins 2005102 Warrington 317-99 Riesz et al. 317113 Murphy 20087 S-herron 20051 France.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

11. IN RELAY ASSEMBLIES OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED TO OPERATE A MECHANICAL LINKAGE TO OPERATE A SWITCH BACK AND FORTH TO OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS AND WHEREIN THE SOLENOID, THE LINKAGE AND THE SWITCH ARE ENCLOSED BY A COVER MEMBER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A SWITCH OPERATING PLUNGER FORMING A PART OF SAID LINKAGE, SAID PLUNGER BEING DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO SAID SWITCH FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, AN OPENING IN SAID COVER MEMBER, AN END OF SAID PLUNGER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING, WHEREBY THE SWITCH CAN BE CONTROLLED BY MANIPULATION OF SAID PLUNGER FROM EXTERNALLY OF SAID COVER MEMBER, AND THE PLUNGER IS MOVABLE BY THE SWITCH WHEN THE SWITCH IS OPERATED BY ENERGIZATION OF THE SOLENOID. 